Gary Gillman, a gentleman, a very knowledgeable and experienced bourbon drinker, and a man worth knowing (even if at a distance) for many reasons, has thrown down a challenge. He claims by way of a review that Evan Williams Black label, which sells for about $12 hereabouts, is a bourbon that he scores as a 9 out of 10. The current release of EWB has No Age Statement (NAS). Since I have not had this particular bourbon in several years (2008), his review prompted me to try it again. At the time of my review in 2008 I gave it a thumbs up with the caveat that it was a mite rough around the edges.
I decided to try it agin its stable mate EW Single Barrel ($22), a bourbon that always has a home in my liquor closet. Both EW bourbons are 86 proof. To make things a bit more interesting, I included a sip Ezra Brooks 90 proof bourbon ($10) and a sip of Very Old Barton 6 YO 90 proof ($10) for a more full comparison.
I was surprised that there seems to be no edge on the EW Black in the finish. Gary is right about this being an excellent bourbon. It is well balanced, and, like its older sibling, nearly delicate. I still prefer the Single Barrel, especially for only $10 more per bottle, because to me its sweetness is rounder and deeper.
As to the Ezra Brooks, it has that noticeable distraction of a sharp edge in the finish......... the tell tale edge of a too young bourbon. And the VOB has an earthy taste that makes it quite different from the others (the Barton taste), but it too is a bit rough in the finish.
For them as might be inclined to dismiss any bourbon below a certain high proof, I would suggest going into the tasting with a slightly different, but not inferior, set of expectations. Look for a 'softer' experience that can be, and is, completely satisfying in its own right.